Fragrance comparison

1881 Acqua Forte vs Patchouli

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 15 Oct 2026 221 ratings analysed

1881 Acqua Forte

Cerruti

3.8497 votes

Rank #15,522 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Patchouli

Ajmal

4.20124 votes

Rank #3,400 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Patchouli takes 6 of 7 categories.

1881 Acqua Forte
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Patchouli
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

1881 Acqua Forte1/7

Patchouli6/7

Ratings & consensus: Patchouli
Community sentiment: Patchouli
Longevity: Patchouli
Sillage & projection: Patchouli
Value for money: 1881 Acqua Forte
Versatility: Patchouli
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Patchouli

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

1881 Acqua ForteCerruti

PatchouliAjmal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.84/ 5 · 97 votes

Have 34%Had 19%Want 47%

4.20/ 5 · 124 votes

Have 40%Had 7%Want 52%

Category winnerPatchouliRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

54%Like

3%Ok

18%Dislike

1%Hate

97 votes

53%Love

29%Like

7%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

86 votes

Category winnerPatchouliMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityPatchouli

SillagePatchouli

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value65

Category winner1881 Acqua ForteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody92%

citrus84%

aromatic77%

green69%

fresh61%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

patchouli84%

fresh spicy77%

aromatic69%

oud61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both woody, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top15-30 mins

YuzuCardamom

Heart2-3 hrs

BasilCalone

Base4-6 hrs

Palisander RosewoodCashmere Wood

Top

Palisander RosewoodNutmegCardamomBergamot

Heart

PatchouliCedarTonka BeanBasilRose

Base

Agarwood (Oud)MuskVetiverSandalwoodVanilla

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Basil and Palisander Rosewood. Durations are only published for 1881 Acqua Forte, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring91

Summer100

Fall35

Winter9

Day100

Night17

Spring78

Summer33

Fall100

Winter97

Day86

Night100

Category winnerPatchouliMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 40%Work 35%Date 15%Party 10%

Men67

Unisex27

Women6

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,522

PerfumerOlivier Cresp

Launched—

Reviews17

Overall rank#3,400

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews15

Category winnerPatchouliHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cerruti 1881 Acqua Forte delivers a crisp splash of tart Japanese yuzu right out of the nozzle, tempered by a snappy crackle of green cardamom. It skips the sticky sweetness of modern mall releases. Instead, master perfumer Olivier Cresp leans into transparent, coastal air. A distinct marine wash of calone carries the…

Reviews →

Ajmal Patchouli is a dark, woody patchouli with a spiced, herbal start and an oud-woods base. You get rosewood, cardamom and nutmeg up top, then patchouli with basil and cedar, smoothed by tonka. It reads unisex but can lean masculine, and it tends to shine in cooler weather. Expect a bold presence and long wear, so s…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, 1881 Acqua Forte or Patchouli?

Patchouli takes 6 of 7 categories. 1881 Acqua Forte is rated 3.84/5 from 97 votes; Patchouli is rated 4.20/5 from 124 votes. Choose 1881 Acqua Forte for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Patchouli for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, 1881 Acqua Forte or Patchouli?

Patchouli lasts longest (Patchouli 85/100, 1881 Acqua Forte 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 1881 Acqua Forte or Patchouli?

Patchouli projects furthest (Patchouli 74/100, 1881 Acqua Forte 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 1881 Acqua Forte and Patchouli smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Basil and Palisander Rosewood.

Is 1881 Acqua Forte or Patchouli better for summer or winter?

For summer, 1881 Acqua Forte is the stronger pick. For winter, Patchouli is the stronger pick. 1881 Acqua Forte suits daytime wear; Patchouli suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 1881 Acqua Forte and Patchouli?

1881 Acqua Forte has top notes of Yuzu and Cardamom, heart notes of Basil and Calone, a base of Palisander Rosewood and Cashmere Wood. Patchouli has top notes of Palisander Rosewood, Nutmeg, Cardamom and Bergamot, heart notes of Patchouli, Cedar, Tonka Bean and Basil, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Musk, Vetiver and Sandalwood.